Disney has a dream summer run at the box office

With Captain America: Civil War collecting Rs 27 crore during its opening weekend, Disney India had a dream run at the box office this summer.

It's April 8 release, The Jungle Book, is running in theatres, having crossed the Rs 175 crore mark. And, Baaghi, a medium budget film, booked profits in its second week.

The Jungle Book is now among the highest collectors in the country, rubbing shoulders with PK, Bajrangi Bhaijaan and 3 Idiots.

Dominating the releases in the past month (Disney had three of the seven films released since April 1) the studio has made Rs 276 crore at the box office. The seven movies put together collected Rs 424 crore.

The other significant contributor to the April box office has been Shah Rukh Khan starrer Fan (Rs 84 crore). Unlike the Disney films, though, it has was not very profitable for producers Yash Raj Films.

According to industry estimates, the Rs 276 crore collection by the Disney movies came from 270 million viewers.

"We are thrilled the three films have done exceptional business. These movies are from three of our studio brands, Disney, UTV Motion Pictures and Marvel. We designed unique marketing plans for each film," said Amrita Pandey, vice-president, studios, Disney India.

"The Jungle Book's content lent itself to marketing in India. Captain America: Civil War has done well, given the popularity of the characters. Baaghi has been budgeted well. At Rs 69 crore, the film is already in the black," said an analyst.

Baaghi, a Bollywood movie with newcomers, cost the studio Rs 45 crore, including production, prints and marketing. The makers recovered Rs 25 crore in satellite and music rights before the release of the film. Of the net box office collection, the producers stake claim on 50 per cent, which is Rs 34.5 crore.

Some big-ticket Bollywood and Hollywood movies are yet to hit the screens this summer.

Balaji Telefilms' and MSM Motion Pictures' biopic, Azhar, on former India cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin releases on May 13, followed by X-Men: Apocalypse on May 20 (distributed by Fox Star Studios in India), and Angry Birds - The Movie from the Sony Pictures and Rovio stable on May 27.